


The place where I belong

by manesalex



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex Manes Deserves Nice Things, Alex Manes Loves Michael Guerin, Alex Manes Week 2020, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Michael Guerin Loves Alex Manes, classist comment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:01:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24947299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manesalex/pseuds/manesalex
Summary: Alex is home on leave and Gregory goes to pick him up at the airport, only to run into a familiar face.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 10
Kudos: 149





	The place where I belong

Gregory is standing at baggage claim, waiting for his brother. Alex had messaged him last minute to ask if he’d mind picking him up at the airport. He assumes Maria had to cancel because he knows Alex has known he’d be home on leave for a while.

He’s glad Alex had reached out. He still doesn’t know how to apologize for everything that their father did to Alex when they were growing up. For letting it happen. For not protecting his little brother. He doesn’t know how to make amends for it. But he’s glad that Alex has opened the door that little bit, that his brother trusts him enough to ask him to show up. He’ll keep doing that when he can until he figures out a way to fix things. And even after that.

Alex looks nothing like he did the last time Gregory saw him, the Christmas before he graduated high school. His face is free of makeup and piercings, his hair regulation length. He’s filled out quite a bit from the kid Gregory remembers. He’s still so young, but he looks so much older. So much sadder.

He’s just about to draw Alex’s attention to himself when Alex’s entire face, his posture, everything, _shifts_. Alex is smiling the brightest smile Gregory has seen on his face since they were kids. Since before their mom left. He actually looks his age. It’s like whatever weight he was carrying, whatever sadness he felt, has all fallen away. He looks _lighter_.

Gregory follows Alex’s eyeline until his eyes land on Michael Guerin. He mostly knows him as the kid who always hung around Isobel Evans, though he had never understood that friendship. He knows there were rumors about Isobel ‘slumming it’ but he never got that vibe from them. It was more like they were siblings. And the way Michael is looking at Alex confirms it for him.

He’s known Michael as the kid who looked at everyone with indifference, sometimes feigned, sometimes probably real. The only people he remembers him showing any concern for were Isobel and Max Evans. He could blend in with the crowd, could charm almost anyone, but everything about him seemed like an act unless he was around the Evans twins.

But now? There’s no way Michael Guerin is acting. No, he’s looking at Alex like he can find the keys to the universe in Alex’s eyes.

He watches them from a distance, watches Alex reach Michael. Watches their lips move. Watches the way they almost seem to sway toward each other, like magnets beneath their skin are pulling them toward each other. He watches the way Alex ducks his head and actually blushes at something Michael says.

He gives them their moment before moving closer, walking toward them.

“-didn’t think you’d show,” he catches Alex saying.

“I didn’t know if I would either,” he hears Michael reply. “But I’m glad I did.”

“Me too.”

Gregory considers just walking away, leaving without his brother ever knowing he was there. But he’s certain Alex will remember that he’s supposed to pick him up. So he’ll have to interrupt them.

“Hey, man,” Gregory says with false nonchalance, clocking the way Alex practically jumps backward, away from Michael, and the pain in Michael’s eyes at the movement. “I see your ride showed up after all.

“Yeah, um…”

He can see Alex reaching for an explanation, and he saves him from the lie he’s certain he’s about to tell, “Have fun and call me if you need anything, okay?”

He’s just starting to open his arms for a hug, when Alex holds out his right hand, “Thanks for showing up, Gregory.”

“It’s what we do for the people who matter to us,” Gregory shrugs, taking his brother’s hand and shaking it. Then he lets go, “Take care of yourself, Alex.” He smiles at his brother and turns around, walking away.

When he reaches the doors, Gregory glances back to see Michael say something and Alex throw his head back in laughter in response.

He hopes that Alex can keep this little bit of joy he’s found for himself safe from their father, that he finds a way to hold on to it, in spite of everything that comes with being a Manes man. And Gregory knows he’ll do whatever he can to help his brother keep this.


End file.
